Braun appoints new leader for troubled public access counselor’s office

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has selected a new chief for public access requests and grievances, after months of complaints about his previous pick’s responsiveness.

Brittney Long, who has been deputy general counsel for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, will serve as the state’s next public access counselor, the governor’s office said Friday. Her first day is Monday.

“Brittney has the legal credentials and passion for public service that makes her an excellent fit for the job,” Braun said in the announcement. “As our next PAC, Brittney will bring added transparency and accountability to our state.”

Long was a magistrate judge for the Bartholomew County Circuit Court from 2022 until March. Previously, she spent nearly 11 years as a law clerk and attorney at the Indianapolis law firm Voyles Lukemeyer Baldwin Webb & Helmond.

The Office of the Public Access Counselor provides guidance on state public records and open meeting laws: it responds to informal inquiries on the laws, issues non-binding advisory opinions, recommends improvements to the Indiana General Assembly, educates officials and Hoosiers on rights and responsibilities, and more, according to the office’s website.

Long will replace former Public Access Counselor Jennifer Ruby, who resigned from her post, according to State Personnel Department spokesman Kirollos Barsoum. Her last day worked was Thursday.

Braun’s announcement of Long did not include any statements about the departing Ruby.

Braun appointed her in March 2025. Ruby’s tenure was plagued by complaints of no or slow responses, with some news media organizations in July threatening a lawsuit over delays.

In reaction, Braun diverted two full-time staffers from his office — one legal and the other administrative — to Ruby’s office “until the backlog is resolved,” spokesman Griffin Reid said at the time. “Additionally, to ensure the greatest transparency, the PAC will post metrics weekly on the office website to indicate the number of outstanding and resolved requests.”

The office has three employees. Lawmakers allotted the office $339,000 annually in the last two-year budget. Governor’s office Deputy General Counsel Trent Bennett earns nearly a third of the $317,000 spent on salaries but didn’t handle public access work until the staff diversion occurred in August.

Update: This story has been updated with comments from the State Personnel Department and governor’s office.